Sweet Mockery
by JenKristo
Summary: This is the story behind Near's L Puzzle. Pure cuteness between L and Near.


Sweet Mockery

At first Near had thought L was mocking him. L had knocked on his bedroom door at Wammy's and introduced himself. "I'm L," he had said, "I've come to meet you," he had said, and he had received no reply. It wasn't anything personal. No one received replies.

Near went back to his puzzle on the floor when it started, L sat across the rug from him, on the floor, hunched, his knees pressing to his chest. It was a friendly mockery, Near thought, an attempt to tease him to warm him up. No such gesture would be regarded.

It slightly bothered Near when this L who he had heard so much about leaned to the side and removed one of his toys from his open closet. It was one of Near's favourites, A black and white Mech with a silver-painted jet pack. It was the rarest of a set of five, the only one of which Near owned.

"I have all but this one," said L, "as do most collectors. You choose your toys tastefully, Near."

Near ignored him, going back to his puzzle.

Again L leaned toward the closet, this time lifting a puzzle from a pile of them. As L popped the pieces out onto the floor across from Near's own puzzle, Near dismissed it as another attempt to find common ground. He watched, however, as L began to solve the puzzle. It was one of his many white-faced puzzles, one that no one but he could do or find interest in. Near's gaze held onto L as the larger, dark haired boy arranged the pieces in rapid speed.

'He's faster than me,' Near thought. Realizing his own interest, he shook off the intrigue and went back to his puzzle. He wondered if L was boasting in his speed, asserting his superiority over the other. Yet, what good would that do to gain Near's respect? Near continued to ignore him.

Near's disinterest did not last long as L moved back to the closet, now removing a number of Near's larger puzzles. He began to open the boxes, studying the finished puzzles in their cases. To Near's dismay, L took a black marker from his pocket and began randomly marking lines and curves around the white boards. There was a calculation and rhythm to L's motions, but the outcome was no more than a mindless jumble.

As soon as L had finished, he lifted the puzzles and dumped them into a single pile that would take Near ages to re-organize.

"Seventy percent of puzzles with more than three hundred pieces have shapes in common with one another," said L as he began organizing the pieces. "Greater meanings can be found in compilation."

As rapidly as he had solved the first puzzle, L began to put together the six puzzles in one. Slowly he formed a blank, white border with a few more rows inside. He left the rest of the pieces in a pile beside the border and glanced Near's way.

"I'm running late. I'd like to see you again, that is if you want to."

Near didn't answer but stared at L, empty eyes watching as he left the room. The second the door was shut, Near scrambled around to the unfinished compilation. As fast as he could he worked on it, adding blank and black-marked pieces to the middle of the puzzle. He finished in good time, not a single piece more or less than needed. He sat back and admired the finished product, how the jagged mess of marked pieces now fit into the perfect letters, 'N-E-A-R'.

Near stood more quickly than he usually did, wobbling a bit from the action. He lifted the black and white mech from the floor and exited the room, walking down the hall of the orphanage. His speed began to increase as he rushed to find L before he left. Closing to the front hall, Near turned a corner and slipped, his soft socks sending him crashing to the oak floor. He looked up without embarrassment at a surprised L.

"Near?" L said, confused at such behaviour. L smiled down at Near who reached up and set the Mech in L's hands.

"Have this, please," said Near with a voice a bit higher than his usual monotone.

L laughed and shook his head. "I could never take this, but your offer is considerate."

Near wobbled to his feet again, nudging the toy to L's chest once more and stepping out of reach. "You have to take it. I want you to."

L's smile sobered and he nodded gently. "Thank you then. Could I bring you something in return, for when I visit again?"

"Make me a puzzle," Near said thoughtfully after a while, "White, please, with an 'L' in one corner."

L watched the child in front of him, his heart warming from the gesture. He leaned down and kissed him on the cheek.

"I will then."


End file.
